Dying to treat you
by Blueshade Seraphim
Summary: Luigi has once again found himself in a spooky situation in a haunted hotel. But little does he know the tragic history that this not-so luxurious home away from home has peeking beneath the surface.


**January 20th,**

So my old friend Elvin Gadd is gonna be heading off to some place called Thwomp Volcano. I wished him luck on his journey. His teleportation technology has really helped us out. Makes getting from one place to another much easier. I'm just perplexed that of all the things he could have chosen to add this technology to, it'd be TV's. Oh well. Anyway, things are going smoothly as usual. The hotel is still raking in plenty of customers. Elline's doing her own thing, and Vinny's on her own planet, as always. Overall, living the good life.

Heir to the Midnight name,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**April 27th, Dear Diary,**

Omigosh! I'm so excited! Tomorrow's my birthday! I'm gonna be 7! Mommy got those guys in the kitchen with the funny hats to bake me my cake. We're gonna have so much fun together! I wonder what my presents will be. Guess I'll see tomorrow.

Vinny.

**May 4th,**

Vinny loves the new costume I made her for her birthday. Her drawing wasn't much to go off, but I made it work. A black tri-tasseled jester hat with a silver tiara attached, a black cape, black shirt and skirt, matching fingerless gloves, I asked her why she had so much black and she said it was because it was the only crayon she could find at the time. But while her taste in outfits confuses me, she does seem happy. She's always been one to dance to her own drummer anyway. Max was certainly taken aback to see her in it. That's our girl for you. Likes to play dress-up.

Elline Midnight.

**July 12th,**

My beloved Elline. Every time I see our employees wearing those uniforms she made, I can't help but feel proud. She may be taking a break from the fashion industry, but her delicate hands are good at making something beautiful. Still, no clothing can match the radiance of the woman within it. What I ever did to deserve her is beyond me, but I'm going to treasure it to the best of my abilities.

Now and forever,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**July 26th,**

Last night an earthquake rang through, and damaged the hotel. The building is still standing, and no one was hurt, but the place is a mess! Some floors are too unstable to tread, and some of the walls have enormous cracks in them. When Max saw the sight, he almost had a heart attack, and Vinny just stayed quiet. Not knowing what to say. I can't tell how this will impact the company, but it doesn't look good. Me and Vinny are trying to comfort Max however we can. The family business thrown into such a precarious state... I hope he doesn't beat himself up about this too much.

Elline Midnight.

**August 3rd,**

As anticipated, we've had to cut our budget significantly to make ends meet. A large amount of the staff had to be fired so that we could make some crucial repairs. Understandably, not as many people have been showing up. I wouldn't want to go somewhere that had just been threatened by a natural disaster. Much less stay in a hotel that was still recovering. But now I have to work around our predicament. And it's likely only going to get harder over time. If I don't think of something, we may not bounce back from this...

Please help us,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**September 9th, Dear Diary,**

I helped out mommy and daddy by helping out with the room service. I don't know what else to do. No one wants to stay in a ruined hotel. Daddy looks scared. Mommy plays with me still, but she doesn't look happy either. What's gonna happen to us, if no one comes by anymore? This is really bad. This is really really bad.

Vinny.

**October 24th,**

Today i was on my way to town to see if there was a way to make money faster. Imagine my surprise when a stranger in a bedsheet and a party hat walked up to me. I didn't ask him why he was dressed in such a strange manner, but I soon realized the face drawn on his bedsheet _wasn't _a drawing at all. He told me he heard that I was going through hard times, and that he could help me. I asked him if he had a job he was offering, but he elaborated. He gave me a strange looking jewel, and told me that if I hold it up under the moon on Halloween night, I will be visited by a ghost named "King Boo". And he would have a business offer that can solve all of my problems. I wanted to ask him more, but he just walked away... in all likelihood, he was probably crazy but... what if he wasn't? If he was telling the truth, then maybe... I need some time to think about this. But if I have a means to cure all my woes... Is it a proposal I can really turn down...?

Weighing my options,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**October 31st,**

Okay. So I managed to get through that with relative confidence in my decision. As promised, King Boo appeared before me. After some discussion, we came to an agreement that seems fair. He had me sign a little contract. Basically, he uses some ghost magic to help get me out of this sinkhole, and 5 years from now I repay him by helping him construct a few projects of his. Mostly just odd buildings he calls "Scarescrapers". Nothing too beyond my abilities when the time comes, I imagine. One of his more peculiar requests was an expansive looking mansion in the woods. I don't know, maybe he wants a fancy place to settle down. Anyway, I accepted. I just hope I don't come to regret this...

Hoping for the best,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**December 21st,**

To my delight, my business partner has stayed true to his word. I've never felt more relaxed. Only a few weeks after our little deal, we had enough income to rebuild the hotel in its entirety. And even afford some new decorations. It warms my heart to know Vinny will be able to have a happy Christmas this year. I have to admit, I still feel a bit shaky from the... desperate means I needed to resort to, but all's well that ends well. Never has success felt so good.

Happy Holidays,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**March 8th,**

I don't know how, but somehow Max managed to pull us all back from the brink. Customers have been coming in from all over. Even places like Isle Delfino! Max had even allowed Vinny to help in the construction by coming up with ideas for new floors. Haha! Oh, if only I had my camera with me when her eyes lit up. She is quite the goofball sometimes. I mean, a plant floor? It's just adorable. Anyway, it appears the worst is behind us. All thanks to Max.

Elline Midnight.

**March 17th, Dear Diary,**

Today was a lot of fun! The builder people finished the pirate floor today! Mom was so proud of me! I like helping with the hotel. And dad's really happy too! I'm gonna make so many new friends. I'm gonna be friends with everybody! And then we can play pirates together!

Vinny.

**August 19th,**

I'm not typically one to lose my temper, but... Rubbish! Absolute malarkey! That double-crossing little swine! Okay, okay, let's just analyze the situation: King Boo cheated me. Even now as I look at that eyesore of fine print, it's simply _agonizing! _"Clause C: Subpart 8: Upon the date of the 31st of October, the first party shall provide the second party with the souls of themself, and any immediate relatives. Their establishment shall henceforth be used to house ghosts, apparitions, specters, and all manner of the paranormal. In addition, all previously mentioned clientele shall be cleared of any unwanted emotions or memories, in accordance with the wishes of the first party." I've been tricked. _Played! _I've unknowingly given our souls over to a ghost to become just another asset of his kingdom! What do I do!? What CAN I do!?

Lady Luck, come to my aid,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**August 23rd,**

Max seems to have retreated inward into his work recently. It doesn't make any sense. We're bringing in more coins by the day! Vinny's so proud of her ideas raking in so many customers. By all means, he should be happy. I don't know. Maybe he's just worried this is all dumb luck. I appreciate he's prioritizing his work, but... something about this feels... wrong.

Elline Midnight.

**October 1st,**

I find sleep harder to achieve every night. My dreams never fail to remind me of the cruel fate that I sold us into... Idiot! How could I be so near-sighted as to make a deal with a ghost!? I just can't take it anymore. I can't keep pretending like nothing is wrong. For better or for worse, Elline needs to know the truth. Our time is running out, and I want her to make the most of each second. Given the circumstances, I wouldn't blame her if she wanted to divorce me on the spot.

Counting my blessings,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**October 6th, Dear Diary,**

Mom and dad seem really sad today. I tried to share some of my cookies with them, but they said they didn't want any. They won't tell me what's wrong. Why do adults never let me know all the super important stuff!? Mom didn't come to play with me today. The maid said she really doesn't want to play right now. Are they mad at me? Did I do something wrong? Oh no no no! What did I do...? I can't think of anything. I... I'm gonna do something nice for them. Yeah, that's what I'll do!

Vinny.

**October 7th,**

Vinny drew me a picture of the three of us. It appears she's taking recent events a bit harder than I thought. I told her I liked it, and that she was really sweet, but in a matter of minutes, she burst into tears. She told me what was bothering her, and I comforted her as best I could. Seeing her like that only makes this whole thing much more difficult. She's so young! She has so much more life to live! But if there is no escaping this, and... you can't tell because this is written, but I'm getting choked up thinking about it. But if there is no escaping this, I will NOT allow any harm to come to my sweet little princess in the afterlife. Forget Max. She needs me.

Elline Midnight.

**October 31st,**

The sun is now the only thing protecting us. It looms teasingly over the horizon. It frightens me to think this might be the last time I look out at the sunset. And as I do, I find that my fear is replaced with shame. Guilt. This is all my fault. Despite out short time together, I can't bring myself to look my family in the eye. Because of me, all of us are going to be... Elline. Vinny. If either of you find this, I beg of you: remember who you are! Find me and put an end to this crooked business I've resigned myself to. I may not remember you, and you may not love me anymore. But please know that I'm sorry. And it'll always be your choice to forgive me or not.

Always with you,

Maxill E. Midnight.

**November 7th,**

We would like to remind all guests that President Midnight is not to be disturbed under any circumstance. We define a "disturbance" as distractingly loud noises, unpermitted entry to his office, ghost pets of any description, and more, as defined by your Midnight Handbook. Any employee caught breaking this rule shall be eligible for disciplinary action, and any guest committing the same felony will be promptly removed from the premises by any means necessary. We assure you that our top priority is to provide you with the highest quality care, so please don't be difficult. All complaints can be filed at the nearest paper shredder.

Thank you for your understanding, and enjoy your stay.

Vinny Midnight.


End file.
